2025-12-15 Luoyang

 A Grotto visit and Walk in Town

This morning it was a visit to the Longmen Grottoes, close to the city of Luoyang and within the walls of a valley through which flows the Yi River.

It was quiet when we arrived, but the numbers built up during our walk upriver on the main side of the caves and grottoes,  We crossed over to the other side of the river via a pedestrian bridge, and walked down river to the exit from the WHA National Park, this time looking across the river to the grottoes, and also visiting the Xiangshan Temple, one time home of Chiang Kai-Shek, whose mansion is preserved at the temple site, and which has a commanding view of the Grottoes and the old imperial city of Luoyang, though he wouldn't recognise the place now, with all the high rise buildings.

The grottoes are extensive, and we couldn't see them all in a week, let alone a morning.  After a while it all blurs, as there is a ritual sameness to the casual visitor - you have to be an expert to note the differecnces due to dynastic differences and so on.  There is definately a quality to quantity though, and it is fascinating to see the huge number and variety of Buddhist statues, from the tiny to the huge.

After this, we took a Didi back to the area close to our hotel which is the core of the old historical area, though much built upon, and as it happens, being renovated at the moment.  As Pippa noted, there is only a short window between the peak tourist season and when it gets too cold - that is now - and so everything happens at once - road renovations and shop refurbishments, new shop fit outs, etc.

The Didi dropped us off at the Lijing Gate, a huge structure that once seperated the town from the palace areas.  Within the wall of the gate is the Sancai Art Museum, a free museum that showcases the pottery and ceramic art that was established here, where 3 colour glazes for porcelain was developed first.  The museum houses contemporary artworks with thousands of blazing colours and is very impressive.

Walking on, we had a coffee/hot chocolate at a very upmarket coffee shop, then continued onwards to our hotel via Luoyang Old Street, a 2 km walk along a street mostly being under renovation, so not really seeing it at it's best, but interesting all the same.

Penny and I had a quiet night in, but Pippa, Toby and Isaac went out to see the lights of the old centre.

Fish in a spring at the Longmen Grottoes

Longmen Grotto

Bridge over the Yi River

Longmen Grottoes

Longmen Grottoes


Longmen Grottoes

Pippa in front of the largest Buddha, Longmen Grottoes

Longmen Grottoes

Longmen Grottoes

Longmen Grottoes

Xiangshan Temple

Chiang Kai-Shek's living room, Xiangshan Temple

View of Luoyang from Xiangshan Temple

Good advice!

Xiangshan Temple

Not sure what this is, saw on way to Lijing Gate

Lijing Gate

Inside Lijing Gate

Sancai Art Museum

Sancai Art Museum

Sancai Art Museum

Sancai Art Museum

Renovation along Luoyang Old Street - shops are still open, people can walk through the workers

Old Street


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